Holiday DIY: Crafts in time for Christmas

Once upon a time, I was unbearably ambitious around the holidays — I made homemade wreaths, garlands, advent calendars, ornaments. You name it, I crafted it. 

As you can imagine, this was hardly realistic. What with having a job, buying and wrapping Christmas gifts and spending time with family...

I’ve since toned down my crazed inner-crafter, and I now allow myself one to two craft projects every Christmas. It’s become fun for me to peruse Pinterest looking for a DIY that is beautiful, fun and will last more than just the one season.

This year, I found an ornament project that is perfect! It’s easy enough to do while watching a Hallmark Channel movie, but lovely enough to reuse year after year. I snagged this Mason Jar Lid Tutorial from the Instant Interiors blog.

Let’s get started: Holly Jolly Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

What you'll need: 

1. Mason jar lids 

2. Free Printable woodland creatures gift tags template created by Instant Interiors

3. Card stock  

4. Scissors

5. Pencil

6. Measuring tape or ruler

7. Any fabric or ribbon you have around the house

8. Jute (or a thin ribbon) 

9. Hot glue gun & glue sticks 

*Craft beads 

Once you’ve downloaded Instant Interiors templates (link above), print them out on card stock. Make sure you print out separate images for the front and back, and doubles of the front image you decide on (you’ll have to cut one up).

Cut them out, and cut out the center design of one of your front images (i.e. if you printed the fox picture, cut out just the fox). Cut a strip from the remaining scrap image, and fold it five times to make a little 3D box and sit it aside.

Next, cut the fabric you’ve selected into strips roughly 2 1/4” x 9” (to cover the rim of the lid).

Here are the numbered steps corresponding with images below. I know it seems complicated, but read through it once, look at the pics, and I think you'll be surprised by how simple it is! 

1. Lay out your cloth strip, mason lid rim, and glue gun out where you’ll be working.

2. Glue around the outer rim, pressing the fabric down as you go.

3. Continue gluing all the way around the rim until the fabric is completely tacked down.

4. Taking the fabric sticking out, glue the inner rim, folding the fabric through the opening and pressing it down on the inner rim.

5. Repeat this action until that entire side of fabric is folded inward and glued down.

6. Once the inner rim is completely covered with that side of the fabric, we are now going to take the fabric sticking out on the other side and fold it inward.

7. Gluing it down the same way you did for the other side. Glue over top the fabric on the inner rim you just did, folding the loose fabric inward and pressing down on the inner rim as you go.

8. This is how your inner rim should look like.

9. This is how the outer rim should look like. Now sit it aside for later.

10. Grad the mason jar lid plate (the flat metal part that fits inside the rim). Grab the design you’ve chosen to be the back of the ornament. Simply glue it to the shiny, silver side of the plate.

11. Once the glue is secure, taking the rim in one hand and the plate in the other, press the plate firmly into the rim (with the picture facing outward) until the plate can’t go any further. 

12. Your back should look something like this.

13. Flip it back over to the front side. Taking your picture you have chosen for the front, add a dab of glue onto the plate and press the design firmly onto the plate. 

14. Remember that strange little box you made out of that strip? Glue the box flap end to the other end so it will hold its box shape. Then glue it to the center of your design on the front side. 

15. Add a dab of glue on top of the little box you just attached, then, before your glue dries, quickly take the second front design you cut out and center it on your box. This should now give your design a nice little three dimensional effect.

16. This step is optional but so much fun! add a dab of glue to your design. Taking tweezers, grab a bead and press it into the glue.

17. You can continue to add beads all over your design. I glued beads down on mine wherever there were berries.

18. Remember the jute I listed? Now simply cut enough to wrap around the entire outer rim and still have enough for a loop (about 20″). Starting at the top of your rim, center a dab of glue and press one end of the jute down. Wrap it around the outer rim, and glue it down at the starting point, leaving your excess sticking straight up.

19. Create a loop with the excess, gluing the excess down at the starting point.  

20 & 21. To finish your look off, take whatever festive ribbon you have tie a beautiful bow around the hanging loop you just created to hide the messy glue. (You can add a dab of glue inside the ribbon knot if you wish, to keep it from moving around.)

Voila!

There you have it: adorable tree ornaments!! They also make for great gift wrapping tags. So grab some spiced wine and get crafting!

Thanks, Instant Interiors for letting us share this brilliant DIY! Check out Instant Interiors for even more DIYs and decorating inspiration.

Happy holidays, and until next time, wear happy!

Xoxo
VL